


Brand New Day

by CallaFallon



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-26
Updated: 2014-05-26
Packaged: 2018-01-26 14:11:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1691150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallaFallon/pseuds/CallaFallon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Hat Trick, Mr. Gold said that there was nothing that Regina had that he wanted. That wasn't exactly true. Short fic about how things would have changed if Regina had played the Belle card.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brand New Day

Belle Gold had long ago given up on trying to surprise her husband. The man was always three steps ahead of her. It made shopping for Christmas or anniversary gifts impossible since he would be able to tell her what was in the box before even looking at it. If the fact that her husband was some type of mastermind was her biggest problem with him then she had no reason to complain, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't complain about it in his presence now and then. Just to keep him on his toes.

"What is that face for?" he asked about her pout as she walked into his office

"I went to go pick up your birthday present, only to discover that you'd already paid for it. And that you'd asked the clerk to give me this," she held up a golden charm bracelet. "Bobby. You can't get me things on your birthday."

"Well then, the bracelet isn't for my birthday. It's just a happy Tuesday gift."

Belle tried to look ferocious as she glared at him, but he only laughed. "Pout all you want, dearie. It makes it easier to kiss you when your lips are already pursed." Then, to demonstrate, he did just that.

"Bobby," she protested a she pulled away, "you can't just kiss me in the middle of your office. What if someone walked in?"

"Then they'd be subject to the sight of a man madly in love with his wife. Although I suppose that is a rarity in this town." It was true, that for a long time everyone in Storybrooke had seemed so miserable. Everyone except the Gold's. But things were getting better. Mary Margaret Blanchard and David Nolan had gotten off to a rough start, but things were better now. They were engaged and planning to marry in the fall. The former Mrs. Nolan was dating the school soccer coach. And Belle was sure that something was going on between Ruby and Archie Hopper from the way that his dog would always run to the diner when it dug out of Hopper's yard.

Everything had been on an upswing since Emma Swan came to town. It wasn't perfect. The poor Sheriff had died and Sydney Glass had that nervous breakdown. And then the Mayor went missing. But now that her husband was the Mayor things were much better. Tourism was way up, more people were moving to town, and everyone just seemed happier. It was as if a dark cloud has moved away from over them, or that a curse had been lifted.

"Did you at least like your gift?" Belle asked.

"Very much," he said, pulling the collection of illustrations from his desk drawer. "Where did you find it?"

"I remember seeing in in India when I was working on a research project there for one of my Professors." Belle had double majored in archeology and literature, specializing in the study of how various fairy tales and myths crossed cultural and geographic boundaries. She took the volume from his hands and carefully turned the pages, looking for the one that she remembered even after all this time.

"See," she said showing it to him, "Don't you think it's a little creepy?"

Gold shrugged. "I suppose the girl looks quite like you, but I'm not sure that he looks like me. He's green and yellow."

Belle rolled her eyes. "But other than that. He has your nose. Your chin. It's just...don't you think it's very you?"

"I suppose. Although I don't go running around in leather pants."

"Unfortunately," she sighed, but quickly was giggling when her husband started nuzzling the ticklish spot on the side of her neck. She pulled away from him, reluctantly. They had to have a serious talk at some point.

"Robert," she said, and he worried because she never used his full name, "Are you happy?"

"Of course I am. Why would you even ask that?"

"I just...is there anything you would change? Or anything else you want? I mean, if you could have anything in the world you wanted...would you choose this life?"

"Oh, yes. Without a doubt."

A few weeks earlier he'd been given that chance. Regina had come to him, worried about Emma Swan's appearance and fretting about the curse falling apart. He'd been unconcerned, too busy studying maps and globes to decide where to go looking for Baelfire. He told her that he would not assist her in stopping Miss Swan, she had nothing that he wanted.

"I have something," she said, desperately. And then went pale, as if she regretted it. But it was too late, and so she played the only card she had remaining.

Belle.

"I can give her to you," Regina promised, "I have enough magic remaining that I can rewrite her story. She doesn't have any memories here, nobody knows her. Just tell me how you want her? Submissive? Compliant? Sexy? Madly in love with you? I can make it happen, just help me keep the curse in place."

He agreed to the deal instantly. "I want her to be...I want her to be Belle. Herself. Brave. Smart. Kind."

"Your maid?" Regina offered.

"My wife," he corrected. Yes. They would be equals. "And she has traveled the world before we married. Studied art and literature. She's a scholar." The life she wanted in the old world. He could give it to her now, the memories of it at least.

"Anything else," Regina said, with a cruel grin. "I mean, this is your chance to make her into anything you wish. I had so much fun creating Graham in this world. Should we give your little Belle an oral fixation? An exhibitionist?"

The look in his eye was pure rage and Regina dropped her teasing. It was a simple spell and then it was done. The unnamed girl in the asylum was gone and replaced by Belle Gold, who was looking around, confused by her surroundings.

"So," Regina said, "How are you going to make sure that the curse stays in place?"

Rumplestiltskin pulled the blade from his jacket, a small dagger that he used for protection. She hadn't even seen it coming when he sliced her neck. But understanding filled her eyes as she bled out. He always kept his deals, although they rarely took the form you expected. With the caster dead the curse would stay in place, even as pieces of it fell apart.

He called Dove to hide dispose of the body and once that was done, called on Emma Swan with news of the underground asylum. Emma hadn't realized that Gold was married, or that his wife had been missing for months, but everyone else in town seemed to know the story. Except Henry, but with Regina missing (probably run away after realizing Gold had found her secret) the boy was living with his birthmother, and talk of curses were less important than they had been before. Rumplestiltskin had written out his perfect world, and now Belle was asking if he would change it?

Mayor Gold took his nervous wife's hands in his own. "Belle, dearie, this is everything I ever wanted. The town fears me. My wife loves me. I wouldn't change a bit of it for all the gold in the world."

She frowned, and then pulled his hands towards her abdomen. "I hope that isn't true. Because things are changing. I'm pregnant."

He couldn't form words and Belle became nervous. "I know we never discussed it. But, please try to be happy. Please try to at least pretend that..."

Her words were cut off as he kissed her. A baby. A family. Now he just needed to wait to narrow down where Bae was and use his favor with Emma Swan to send her to collect the boy. They would be a family. The four of them. It was more than the old monster deserved but he wouldn't question his luck.

"You're happy?" Belle asked.

"Thrilled."

She chuckled, "Well, I guess I finally was able to surprise you."

"Belle, love, you're a constant surprise to me."


End file.
